Be My Escape
by Lia-Rei
Summary: Fragments of Fai's thoughts from the beginning of the journey. Companion to Stop and Stare.


To all the Fais that want to reach out to a Kurogane.

**Be My Escape**

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Volume One; Chapter 2; Seresu

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The frigid water still felt nice as he crawled onto the the side of the small pool.

It tore at his body making the ache in his heart easier to bear. Or at least easier to ignore.

"What will you do now, Fai?"

Her concern was appreciated. Nearly unsettling. Fai was grateful to have made her. She was the only one he didn't feel the need to completely hide from.

Not that he would ever show himself to her either.

"I can't stay in this country any longer."

She seemed overcome with a sad confusion. She was so adorable. He patted her head.

"To Where?"

"Very far away. As far away as I can get. Some place with no King Ashura. But I have a favor to ask of you, Chi." He knew she would agree. It was still hard to ask anything of anyone though.

He changed her, and took one last look at his king.

"At least while you're asleep, have good dreams!"

He wished it with all his heart, but being able to wish King Ashura that also made him so heartbroken.

Writing the spell. Was wonderfully freeing, and encouraged a horrible homesickness.

It was really hard to leave on his own...

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Volume One; Chapter 2; Japan

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"Who the hell are you?"

"Are you the dimension witch?"

Startled, he looked to the man on his right. Clad in black, he was obviously a warrior.

"Do you know where you are?"

She obviously meant the specific place as she had already established to the rowdy warrior that we were in Japan.

"Yes... A place where any wish can be granted if a suitable price is paid."

"My home world is the place I do not want to be!"

"My home world is where I want to be!"

This time he felt the black man's gaze, but did not look at him.

"No... For all three of you... perhaps."

Sadness and guilt weighed heavily on his heart when she mentioned three. Surely she would not let these children pay the price for his sins too.

She asked for the warrior's sword.

Seemed highly simple to the magician. It was just a sword.

But the man put up a fight to keep it. Perhaps it was more than that.

"Your price is... your marking."

No.

Please no.

Please take the staff.

"It won't."

Oh, god, no.

As she extracted the marking an even heavier weight bore down on his shoulders.

"Even if you retrieve all of her memories... the one memory that you will never retrieve will be her memory of you."

His look of hurt was hard for the magician to watch.

The boy looked at the girl in his arms and agreed to her price.

If only that could have been his price.

For King Ashura to forget him...

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Volume One; Chapter 3; Hanshin Republic

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His unconscious devotion to the girl was heartwarming.

He would love her even if she didn't remember him.

"Call me Syaoran."

"I am not "Mr. Black!" I am Kurogane."

He obviously didn't like nicknames. Fai would use this to his advantage.

Syaoran held the girl closer to him. He seemed distressed over her condition.

Perhaps he could help.

"Is this what a piece of memory looks like for this child?"

It was a great source of power, and the magician would have liked to keep it, but the boy, the girl needed it back now.

"It was stuck to you. Only one, though."

What was one, little, white lie?

_One too many._

Only the beginning.

But Syaoran was so happy. The lie would have to be excused.

Mokona was humorous. He would help with the lightheartedness Fai would maintain.

"It's got nothing to do with me."

While Fai couldn't disagree, he was slightly angered by the lack of compassion for the boy.

As he was going to say something or shoot a pointed look, Syaoran spoke. Eloquent words for a young boy. Not out of wisdom, but out of sincerity.

Syaoran would be easy to lie to. Though it would weigh heavily on Fai to do so.

"Well? What about you?"

"My most important mission is to not return to my world."

The sorrow weighed heavily, but it was easy, oh so easy, to pretend...

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Volume One; Chapter 4; Hanshin Republic

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"Sir! I have a question! Does everyone in this country have an accent like yours, Sorata-san?"

"My accent is unique to me. It's an older version of our language."

This seemed to catch Syaoran-kun's interest. He was a budding intellectual. The short chat of history and language relieved his anxiety for a moment. That was good to see.

Kuro-chan must have been nodding off in the corner. Sorata-san seemed to become angry. Kuro-pun's outburst immediately alerted the magician and sent him into defense.

Until Sorata-san explained Kudan.

What an entertaining idea.

A familiar that reflected one's heart and power.

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Volume One; Chapter 5; Hanshin Republic

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It was fun to antagonize Kuro-tan. He needed to lighten up.

The confusion over an apple was also humorous. It seemed to exasperate Kuro-pii.

"Come to think of it, I never asked... How did you get to the shop of the Dimension Witch, Syaoran-kun?"

"There's a high priest in my land. He sent me."

Impressive. To be able to send two people.

"How about you, Kuro-Rin?"

"The princess of my country sent me away-by force."

It was obviously a painful memory for him. Maybe if he was upset he would forget about it.

"You did something bad and she did it to scold you!"

Worked.

And now they knew he was a magician. They still didn't know the extent of his powers though. He could still easily get away with only using simple magic.

_Liar. One too many._


End file.
